Our easy Baked Tacos recipe is perfect for dinner any night, or for feeding a crowd, with crispy ready in under 30 minutes, that you can prep ahead of time.

A 9x13 metal sheet pan filled with easy baked tacos topped with lettuce, tomato, sour cream, and salsa served on the side.

Crispy Tacos are the easiest way to do taco night!

All you do is line a pan with crispy taco shells, fill them with taco meat, beans and cheese and bake them! Then add whatever toppings you like. They come together fast, which is a lifesaver on busy nights, and my whole family devours them. They actually make dinner feel fun and effortless.

It's no secret, I love tacos and have so many taco recipes on my site from Tacos Al Pastor and Korean Beef Tacos to Chicken Street Tacos and Fish Tacos.

How to make Baked Tacos:

Cook Taco Meat: In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef, breaking it into small pieces. Drain grease, then add onion and sauté until softened. Stir in the dry spices, tomato sauce, and pinto beans. Simmer on low for 5–10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Assemble: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two 9×13-inch pan (or similar size pan) with taco shells, fill each with the beef mixture, and top with cheese. Bake for 10 minutes, then serve with lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and Easy Homemade Salsa or Mango Salsa!

Four images showing how to make sheet pan tacos by cooking the ground beef mixture, filling the shells, adding cheese and baking, then adding the toppings.

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Recipe

Baked Tacos lined on a baking tray, topped with salsa, sour cream and lettuce.
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 25 minutes
Total 35 minutes
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Ingredients
 
 

Instructions
 

  • Cook the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking it into very small pieces until browned. Remove grease. Add onion and saute for a few minutes. Stir in the dry spices.
    1 pound lean ground beef, 1 small onion, 1 Tablespoon chili powder, 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin, ½ teaspoon paprika, ¼ teaspoon Dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¾ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Add tomato sauce and pinto beans and stir to combine. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    8 ounces tomato sauce, 16 ounce can pinto beans
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line two 9×13'' pans with the taco shells (or us a larger baking sheet to fit more). 
    20 hard tacos shells
  • Spoon taco mixture into tacos. Top with cheese. Bake for 10-15 minutes.
    1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • Top with a little bit of lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream and salsa, if desired.
    1 romaine heart, 2 roma tomatoes, salsa and sour cream

Notes

Serving size – 3 tacos
Make Ahead Instructions: The taco meat filling can be made and refrigerated 2-3 days in advance. When ready to use, fill tacos and bake as instructed. 
Freezing Instructions: You can freeze taco meat filling in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. 

Macros Recipe Adaptation

1 lb. ground turkey, 16 oz. black beans, Mexican cheese.

Per Serving Amount

98.3 grams meat mixture, 2 hard taco shells, ⅛ cup cheese, ¼ cup lettuce, 6 grams tomatoes.

Macros

330 kcal, Fat: 15g, Carbs: 26g, Protein: 21g (serves 10) | MFP: Baked Tacos (TBFS Macros)

Nutrition

Calories: 383kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 26gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 944mgPotassium: 729mgFiber: 6gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 2746IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 278mgIron: 4mg

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I originally shared this recipe February 2016. Updated January 2021 and August 2025.

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About The Author

Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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jangoodell@outlook.com
1 month ago

5 stars
These are the only hard shelled tacos I would bother making. baking them is such a good idea. I did use TBFS taco seasoning rather than the separates listed here.

Rdfooda Rdfood Rdfooda Rdfooda
1 year ago

Mexican the tacos

peggymack90@gmail.com
1 year ago

5 stars
Do you drain & rinse the beans?